Kim Jong-un sends unusual consolation message to Japanese Prime Minister
“North Korea, pressured by South Korea-US-Japan security cooperation, attempts to dilute the atmosphere”
Japan’s secretariat “did not send a reply to the leaders of each country”… reply opaque
North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un sent a message of condolences to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida regarding the earthquake that occurred in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed his gratitude to Chairman Kim, who sent an unusual message of consolation.
According to North Korea’s official media, the Korean Central News Agency, on the 6th, Chairman Kim sent a consolation message to Prime Minister Kishida on the 5th, saying, “Unfortunately, I heard the news that Japan has suffered a lot of casualties and material losses due to an earthquake since the beginning of the new year, and I would like to express my condolences to you and you.” “We express our deepest sympathy and condolences to the bereaved families and victims.”
He added, “I hope that the people in the affected areas will overcome the consequences of the earthquake as soon as possible and recover a stable life.”
In his telegram, Chairman Kim treated Prime Minister Kishida with an honorific title, calling him “His Excellency Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan.”
It is unusual for North Korea to send a consolation message to the Japanese prime minister rather than to so-called anti-American front countries such as Iran or Syria. On the 5th, Chairman Kim also sent a message of condolences to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi regarding the large-scale bombing that occurred at the 4th anniversary memorial service for General Qassem Soleimani.
There is analysis that the intention to send a signal of improvement in North Korea-Japan relations by making a conciliatory gesture toward Japan was intended to cause a rift in Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation.
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said, “North Korea, which feels pressured by Korea-U.S.-Japan security cooperation, acts hostile toward the U.S. and takes an ultra-hardline stance toward South Korea, going as far as virtually giving up on its people, while leaving some leeway toward Japan and taking individual stances differently. “It is an attempt to cloud the atmosphere of Korea-U.S.-Japan security cooperation to some extent,” he said.
According to NHK, Minister Hayashi responded at a press conference that day, saying, “We are receiving messages of consolation from various countries regarding the damage caused by the earthquake on the Noto Peninsula,” and added, “I would also like to express my gratitude for Chairman Kim’s message.”
At the same time, he said, “I am not aware of any recent cases, including the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, where North Korea’s top leader sent a message of consolation to our Prime Minister regarding earthquakes, etc.,” adding, “We are doing our best to respond to the victims.” He explained, “Currently, we are not responding to messages from leaders of each country.”
He also showed a cautious attitude, saying, “Regarding the dialogue between Japan and North Korea, I would like to refrain from responding to the nature of the matter, including responding to this message.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.